Valorant
1080p@180Hz·05:25 played
Player_631788·3h ago
Public1 Tip
558
FPSAverage
495
FPS1% Low
43%/47°C
62%/58°C
32 GB
57%usage
Core i9-10900K vs Core i9-12900K
The Core i9-10900K is quite a bit slower than the Core i9-12900K on average across 100+ games and it's also a worse value for money, as it's $189.96 more expensive!
Core i9-10900K41% Score
- Up to 10% cheaper – $589.95 vs $399.99
Core i9-12900K62% Score
- Up to 37% faster on average across 100+ games
- Is 1 year and 6 months newer
- Up to 25% better value for money
- Up to 10% more expensive – $399.99 vs $589.95
FPS Comparison Across Popular Games
Predicted average FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, based on real game benchmarks.
Specs & Benchmark Comparison
Side-by-side specs, synthetic benchmarks, and key hardware differences.
Base Frequencyhelp
Core i9-10900K has a 16% higher base clock.
LGA1200
Sockethelp
LGA1700Comet Lake
Codenamehelp
Alder Lake-SDesktop
Segmenthelp
DesktopUHD Graphics 630
Integrated GPUhelp
UHD Graphics 7702933 MHz (DDR4)
RAMhelp
3200 MHz (DDR4), 4800 MHz (DDR5)Overclockable
Overclock Supporthelp
OverclockableFrequently Asked Questions
compare_arrowsWhich is better, Core i9-10900K or Core i9-12900K?expand_more
The Core i9-12900K. It's 51% faster than the Core i9-10900K on average across 100+ games, scoring 62/100 vs 41/100 in our gaming rating.
speedHow much faster is Core i9-12900K than Core i9-10900K?expand_more
51% faster on average. The gap varies by game and resolution, check the per-game FPS comparison above.
aspect_ratioWhich is better for 1440p and 4K gaming, Core i9-10900K or Core i9-12900K?expand_more
The Core i9-12900K is faster at both resolutions. Toggle the resolution selector above to see per-game FPS.
paidIs the Core i9-12900K worth buying in 2026?expand_more
It scores 62/100 in our gaming rating, faster than most CPUs on the market. Good buy if the price is right.
differenceWhat is the difference between Core i9-10900K and Core i9-12900K?expand_more
Performance: Core i9-10900K scores 41/100, Core i9-12900K scores 62/100. They also differ in core count, clock speeds, L3 cache, and power draw. Full breakdown in the specs section above.
compressWill the Core i9-10900K or Core i9-12900K bottleneck my PC?expand_more
Depends on the rest of your build, especially your GPU. Swap the paired GPU in the FPS section above to see if it limits performance, or use our bottleneck calculator for a full analysis.
upgradeIs it worth upgrading to the Core i9-10900K or Core i9-12900K?expand_more
The Core i9-12900K is the stronger pick at 62/100. Compare your current CPU against it to see the exact FPS gain across 100+ games.
Popular Comparisons
i9-10900K vs Ryzen 7 9800X3Di9-10900K vs Ryzen 7 7800X3Di9-10900K vs Ryzen 7 9700Xi9-10900K vs Ryzen 7 7700Xi9-10900K vs Ryzen 9 9900Xi9-10900K vs Ryzen 5 5500i9-10900K vs Ultra 7 265KFi9-10900K vs Ryzen 7 9850X3Di9-10900K vs Ryzen 9 9900X3Di9-10900K vs Ryzen 9 9950X3Di9-10900K vs Ryzen 5 7600Xi9-10900K vs Ultra 5 245Ki9-10900K vs Ultra 5 245KFi9-10900K vs Ryzen 5 8500Gi9-10900K vs i3-12100Fi9-10900K vs Ryzen 3 4100i9-10900K vs Ryzen 5 7500X3Di9-10900K vs i5-4590Si9-10900K vs i3-7100Ti9-10900K vs i5-4570i9-10900K vs Ryzen 5 3500Xi9-12900K vs Ryzen 7 9800X3Di9-12900K vs Ryzen 7 7800X3Di9-12900K vs Ryzen 7 9700Xi9-12900K vs Ryzen 7 7700Xi9-12900K vs Ryzen 9 9900Xi9-12900K vs Ryzen 5 5500i9-12900K vs Ultra 7 265KFi9-12900K vs Ryzen 7 9850X3Di9-12900K vs Ryzen 9 9900X3Di9-12900K vs Ryzen 9 9950X3Di9-12900K vs Ryzen 5 7600Xi9-12900K vs Ultra 5 245Ki9-12900K vs Ultra 5 245KFi9-12900K vs Ryzen 5 8500Gi9-12900K vs i3-12100Fi9-12900K vs Ryzen 3 4100i9-12900K vs Ryzen 5 7500X3Di9-12900K vs i5-4590Si9-12900K vs i3-7100Ti9-12900K vs i5-4570i9-12900K vs Ryzen 5 3500X